


Satchel of coins

by WizzyGold



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Mayor French, Memories, Season 3 AU, Storybrooke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 23:56:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5646418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WizzyGold/pseuds/WizzyGold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle is bored and curious and discovers something in Rumple's shop. One-shot. Set somewhere in season 3, so spoilers for pretty much every rumbelle heavy episode.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Satchel of coins

**Author's Note:**

> This is the other fanfic I made back somewhere while season 2 was airing. It was on FF.net. When Rumbelle made sense and everyone was happy and Neal was alive. 
> 
> Comments always appreciated
> 
> Now with cover!

It was late afternoon and Belle was at the office behind the pawnshop waiting while Rumple discussed some business with the Charmings, Hook and Regina (she never thought that particular reunion could have taken place in a civilized manner, but life is full of surprises). They were back from Neverland after a few months away and apparently so were Greg, Tamara and the Lost Boys. Of course, Henry was back as well, but there was a dark presence around the town that was scaring everyone and even Rumple was preoccupied.

While they had been gone to Neverland, Belle had cloaked the town and followed Rumple's directions to the letter, which included safety measures and backup plans.

With that, peace had once again reached Storybrooke, even if everyone was worried about the ones on Neverland and specially Henry's fate. Also, since Regina was gone too, there was no one to actually run the town and nobody seemed to know how either. Except Belle, who had read many books about politics.

Long story short, Storybrooke had deemed Belle Mayor of the town.

She had stepped down when Regina came back, not wanting to start a fight with all else going on, but she was secretly pleased that almost everyone still asked her for advice and even called her Mayor Gold (that particular name gave Rum a particular light in his eyes that sent butterflies to her stomach) from time to time.

Right now, she was waiting in the office because they had a date and the meeting was taking too long. So, Belle, curious as ever (honestly, she must have been a cat in another life), had started poking around all the things her True Love had scattered around. Books (she had read them all), bottles for potions, strange sparkly liquids (she wouldn't even ask), music instruments, jewelry, weapons from their world. Belle was sure he must have had a spell to keep all that into the tiny space and still looking somewhat neat.

Her eye caught a blue silk satchel with golden cord that was on a shelf. Similar to the one Rum had used to save the pieces of their cup (she still couldn't believe she had done that. If she was ever grateful for magic it was when Rum had repaired it, leaving the chip). Opening the satchel, she saw it was filled with weird coins, but she couldn't recognize them from their land or this world. They were silver with little markings around the border that looked like runes. Must have been some kind of ancient language.

Belle frowned, picking one up, leaving the little bag on the desk. A moment later, she saw their first meeting on her mind, it felt so real and the feelings the vision provoked weren't her own. She remembered feeling scared and curious, not bored and giddy after accepting the deal. Dropping the coin, Belle opened her eyes, gasping at the emotions that were not her own. These were Rumple's memories and emotions. But, why?

With even more curiosity, she picked another. This one was when she fell from the latter. She remembers feeling scared when falling, confused at not hitting the ground and grateful at her master (and, ok, butterflies in her stomach and a warm feeling in her heart). From the coin she felt fear the moment she was falling, relief when he had caught her mixed with fear and a spark of care, of _love._ Oh, and confusion, a lot of confusion. Guess he wasn't expecting an emotion, any emotion really, to come from their deal.

The next one she picked was from when he had showed her the library. Oh, this one was one of her fondest memories of her time in Dark Castle. His thoughtfulness and _books,_ so many of them, had sent her heart beating rapidly. He, well he felt some insecurity and relief at her reaction and also a warmth.

Belle had never realized how soon his feelings for her had begun and this was some interesting information. She smiled when she selected the memory of her conversation about Gaston and the jealousy he felt. Shed a tear or two at the thrill and joy and anger (she suspected at Regina) and so many emotions she couldn´t quite decipher all of when she appeared at the shop after being set free by Jefferson.

She also saw a few memories of Bae when he was younger and couldn't help but smile at the fatherly pride Rumpelstiltskin felt and the joy of watching his son. It was so good to see Bae at a short age, he was so adorable and had the same kind eyes as his father.

She was so overwhelmed that she didn't hear her name being called and almost jumped to the roof when someone touched her shoulder.

Turning around she was relieved at seeing Rumple, taking a hand to her heart and laughing a bit embarrassed. "Belle? Are you alright?" Rum asked, concern all over his face.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I'm fine." She repeated seeing the look of skepticism on his face and then…embarrassment? Oh, he was looking at the satchel. Interesting reaction.

"B-Belle…where did you…? I mean, what is that?" He finished pointing at the bag as if he didn't know already. It was kind of funny.

"I found it when I was entertaining myself while you talked with your, uhm, allies?" She smiled a bit embarrassed at her intrusion but seriously, they were coins, how was she supposed to know?  "I didn't recognized them from our land or this world so I picked one."

He had flushed. He was embarrassed, a lot. What emotions were on these things to put him at such state?

"Rumple…why are you doing the impression of a tomato?"

Ok, yeah, she was laughing on the inside (and a bit on the outside) but it was truly funny seeing him like that, so adorable.

He glared at her, meant to be intimidating, and it would be if he wasn't so embarrassed.

"I…" he sighed and looked away dropping his hand at his side, a sign of defeat "I made those when I was about to cross the town border. I poured all of my most cherished memories into the coins in case somehow I forgot. When you became Lacey, I was going to show them to you, to see if it would bring anything back but by the time you trusted me enough the world was going to end and then Leroy brought the potion so I never used them."

"Very clever. But, you never answered my question." – She put her arms around Rum's neck and stepped closer, looking at his lips and then his eyes, enjoying putting him on the spot.

He cleared his throat, arms going around her waist and eyes avoiding hers. "There are things, feelings, which are too personal to share, especially with you"  he gave her a pointed look and suddenly she saw the light, and smiled devilishly. Oh, _those_ feelings.

"There really is nothing to be embarrassed about, dearie," putting an emphasis on his moniker to get a smile from him "we are married after all and I love you, I probably have those same feelings, you know."

"Yes, yes I guess you do, Mrs. Gold" He smiled, that genuine smile of his she loved so much and gave her a gentle peck on the lips, his cheeks losing his flushed state a bit. – "But probably not in the same memories as me."

"You would be surprised, Mr. Gold. Remember you did wear leather pants in our land."

Oh, his cheeks were red once again. Belled grinned and kissed him again, stopping before things got out of hand and they never made it to dinner. "Now come on, I don't want to lose reservations and we are already late."

"But…"

She grabbed his hand and dragged him out of his office and through the store. "But nothing. Besides, you have to tell me about your war meeting."

Sighing he nodded and met her pace, lacing his fingers with hers, delighted on feeling the wedding band on his finger. After he and his, ehm, allies to use the word Belle had described for that people; his family and Hook (oh, the irony of the universe) had returned from Neverland with Henry, they had decided to get married. It was a small ceremony and Belle was disappointed on her father for not showing.

Jefferson gave her away and Charming stood as his best man (again, irony, but Charming and Rumple had an almost friendship by now).

That was almost six months ago. Since then, thanks to little Henry they had found out that Bae was in the Enchanted Forest and now they were looking for a way to bring him back (kids and magical globes, it was a fortunate accident). But Bae was alive and well and Rumple had never felt happier.

In the end, Belle had been right.

The future is not as it seems.


End file.
